Fastener



Patentegl Mar. 1, 1921.

INVENTOR -15 BEEJYHH/QD.

ATTORNEY J. E. BERNHARD.-

FASTENER- APPLICATION FILED SEPT-27; 1920.

UNITED sT r s JOHN E. BERNHARD, or BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

FASTENER.

Levoaos.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

Application filed September 27, 1920. Serial No. 413,178.

To all 10 Fur/nit may concern.

Be it known that 1, JOHN EDWARD BERN- HARD, a citizen of the United States of America residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fasteners, of which the fol.- lowing is a specification.

Hy invention relates to a garment fastener to take the place of buttons on garments. and especially on garments such as overalls which have to be laundried. I

More particularly it is my object to design a fastener of such character that the elements thereof can be formed by fiat metal stampings which will not be injured or torn out by the action of the steam laundry in washing and ironing the garments.

It is a further object to so design the fastening that the interlocking elements can not be detached until placed in relative positions which they are not free to assume in the normal course of service in the garment.-

A further object is to design a garment fastener in which a plate, provided with suitable means for attachment to the garment, has a slot elongated by a narrow extension in the direction of the pull thereon, the complementary fastening member being designed to be interlocked with the plate by disposing it at right angles to the line of pull on the plate and pressing it in a sidewise and downward direction through the slot and its extension, after which the member is righted and cannot be detached until again presented in position at right angles to the line of pull on the plate.

My invention also comprises the novel cletails of construction and arrangements of parts which in their preferred embodiment only, are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows my invention applied to an overall with the hook member shown in dotted line in the position it must assume to be attached to or detached from the plate fastener.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view enlarged taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional and plan views of the hook member.

Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views of the slotted plate member.

Fig. 7 is an end view of Fig. 6.

Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional and plan views of the fastening plate.

Figs. 10 and 11' are plan and side views of a modified detachable hook member.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

I have shown my invention as applied to an overall 1 having shoulder straps 2, each of which is made fast to the eye 3 of the hook member 4 which is formed by a tapering metal-plate having a neck portion 5 and a T-head 6. the neck 5 having an'intermediate bend 7 as illustrated in F ig. 3.

The complementary fastener member adapted to be engaged by the hook is formed by a plate 8 of substantial width and length so as to overlie a considerable portion of-the garment and thus secure a firm attachment thereto but not being large enough to be appreciably deformed in passing through the wringing rolls or other machines of the laundry. This plate is provided at its corner with pointed integral spuds 9 which are adapted to be inserted through slots 10 in a back plate 11 formed of metal stamping having all but its marginal edges cut away so as to leave it light and also to avoid giving a rigid support to the garment underlying the large slot 12 in the plate 8. This slot has a narrow upward extension 13 disposed toward the direction of pull from the hook member 4:. The slot 13 is but slightly wider than the thickness of the hook head 6 and the width of the slot 12 is slightly wider than the width of the hook neck 5.

In operation, the plate 8 is applied to the garment and its spuds pressed therethrough. The retaining plate 11 is then fitted opposite the plate 8 with the latters spuds projecting through the slots 10 and thereupon the spuds are bent down to lock the plates 8 and 11 in position on the garment. To connect the fastening members the hook 4; is brought to right angled position to its normal line of pull on the plate 8, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 1. The head 6 is then thrust through the slots 12 and 13, the member 4 being held at an angle of approximately 45 to the plane of the plate 8. This involves pressing the head 6 into the garment that is surrounded by the frame 11 and this portion of the garment will yield sufficiently to permit the head to be slipped in under the plate 8 when the hook is held at an acute angle but which will resist the tendency to introduce the hook when disposed at right angles to the surface of the plate 8.

Having gotten the hook head 6 through the slot 13 and in position under the plate 8, the hook member is then swung from dotted to full line position, Fig. 1, and this causes its head to interlock with the plate 8 so that the members 4 and 8 cannot become detached unless the hook member is brought back to the same position as that in which it was presented to interlock the members and its head withdrawn by a reverse movement.

. The slot 12 will permit the hook shank 5 to turn therein so that the hook can beswung throughout a complete circle without causing its neck to bind in the slot. The bend 7 under such conditions permits the body 4 of the lock to swing in a plane parallel with the plate 8. This bend if ironed out will be automatically replaced by the strain on the hook member after its head is interlocked with the plate 8.

Where a hook member detachable from the. garment is desired I use the device shown in Figs. 10 and 11, which comprises the shank 5, head 6 and body 7, as already described, the shank?) being continued and bent outwardly at 14 and joined to a downturned head 15 of substantial Width, flanked by rearwardly extending wingslfi,

, and adapted to be hooked through the bottom hole in the garment, strap or equivalent part, instead of being permanently secured therein.

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A garment fastener comprising a hook member having a shank with a T-head, a plate having a slot with a narrow extension in the line of pull from the hook member, said hook head being insertable only laterally through the slot and its extension, and means to fasten the slotted plate to the garment, said meanscomprising a back plate in the form of a metal frame having slots and spuds on the front plate adapted to pierce said slots.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHN E. BERNHARD.

Witness NOMIE VVELSH. 

